Wednesday, August 08, 2012

9th Circuit Approves Warrantless Wiretapping

The federal government may spy on Americans’ communications without warrants and without fear of being sued, a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday in a decision reversing the first and only case that successfully challenged President George W. Bush’s once-secret Terrorist Surveillance Program.

“This case effectively brings to an end the plaintiffs’ ongoing attempts to hold the executive branch responsible for intercepting telephone conversations without judicial authorization,” a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals wrote.

I didn't have a problem with eavesdropping on calls coming into or going out of the United States, but this ruling seems to allow any type of wiretapping the feds want. Granted, the source is Wired so it may not be entirely accurate with regards to constitutional law, but on the face of it this seems mighty worrisome.